kid’s classes, new adult classes and Seafair are all coming!

HI EVERYONE!

Emily’s Bits of Fun: Let’s talk about tension. No, I don’t mean the kind you have when the kids are melting down, dinner needs to be made and it’s late, or life just isn’t going right. I mean the type of tension you use when you are quilling a scroll or any kind of circle. I have found that the smaller you want your circle or scroll to be, the tighter the tension should be. Also, the larger you want your circle or scroll to be, the looser your tension should be, regardless of the actual size of the item. I was usually using the same tension for everything and then adjusting or trying to fix it after the fact. It took me awhile to figure this out and I have been doing this a while. It’s always fun when the “light” comes on and you think, “Hey, this is much easier than what I was doing!” So, adjust your tension and see how that makes a difference. Just a little tip that I hope you can use during your projects.

Personal Note:New Classes: Some new classes at “Camp Westfield” at Southcenter starting this Thursday, July 27th from 10-11 am for ages 3 and up. The first class is free and this is part of Westfield’s Summer Day Camps for kids. I will be there for 5 weeks on Thursdays teaching and having fun from 10-11. Please contact Michelle Giles at 206.802.6048 for details on classes and any pricing that will happen after the first class. New Classes at Vintage: September through November are booked at Vintage Vino & Espresso every 3rd Tuesday and Thursday – Check my “Class” schedule starting in mid-August to sign up for those classes. Farmer’s Markets: I have had so much fun at the Farmer’s Markets this summer. I always meet a great bunch of creative and fun people. My last market for the season will be on Wednesday, August 9th in Wallingford. HERE is the info on the WFM. Seafair: Seafair starts this weekend with the Torchlight parade on Saturday evening. There is always something fun to do at Seafair – check out the schedule HERE.

The Health Benefits of having a hobby

Hi Everyone!

Emily’s Bits of Fun: Pull out your knitting needles: Grandma was on to something with that ever-lengthening scarf tucked in her handbag. Whether you’re into gardening, or even cross-stitch, new research has found that hobbies are just as important to good health as exercise is, thanks to their ability to relieve stress. That’s right and not one of them is better than another.

There have been studies over the years that followed over 100 adults as they went about their daily activities. Participants wore heart monitors and also completed surveys periodically to report their activities and how they were feeling. After three days, the researchers found that people who engaged in leisure activities like hobbies were 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad during the activities. Not only did they report feeling happier, but their heart rates were lower—and the calming effect lasted for hours. All in all? Stress was reduced drastically.

Personal Note: I have had the pleasure of teaching a lot of classes so far this summer and as i look at my calendar I see that it’s going to be just as crazy and fun in the next few months as it is now. Don’t forget to sign up for a class and remember if you are the first one to do so, there will be a free quilling kit given out.

are you a creative person?

HI EVERYONE!

Hope you are all enjoying this fabulous summer and getting around to doing something creative with any extra time that you have. Don’t forget to share your creativity with your kids and grandkids or even the neighbor’s kids. It’s all worth it.

Emily’s Bites of Fun: Creative people really do see the world differently. Some of the things that come to light as we look at creative people can be quite interesting. Their willingness to be flexible and original can make for a very different personality from other people but it helps us understand them a little more. At “secondprinciple.com” they have put together some interesting information and some reflective exercises for you to see how creative you really are. Check them out HEREand let me know if you found out something about yourself that you didn’t know before! I see some traits that I didn’t know about myself but they really do ring true! Have fun!

Here is a list of some of the attributes of creative people:

Independent, anti‑authoritarian

Divergent thinker

Generally considered intelligent

Open to new ideas

Little tolerance for boredom

Willing to undertake stimulating challenges, curious and inquisitive

Self‑actualizer

Aesthetically-inclined

Above average use of brain functions located in the right hemisphere

Strong imagery ability

Abilities of synthesis; tasting color, seeing sound, hearing smells

Generally unaffected by peer pressure

Versatile and adaptable

Score high on Torrance Tests of Creative Ability in the following areas:

fluency‑‑produce numerous ideas

flexibility‑‑produce variety of ideas and approaches

originality‑‑novel ideas

elaboration‑‑fill in details

redefinition‑‑define or perceive in way different from the average

Personal Note: Having your supplies handy when you start any kind of project is vital If you have to constantly get up to get something you might lose interest or get distracted. Make a list for the times you feel that you had everything you needed. You may add to it but it will make the next project go much smoother. Don’t lose heart, keep going and you will get your “groove.” Most of all? Have fun!

History Galore

Hi Everyone!

There is a lot of history being remembered today. We remember that our independence cost something and that we are so thankful to be free in this country. Because we are free we can celebrate with friends and family making priceless memories. Have fun doing that, it’s all history you will share one day with a loved one.

Emily’s Bites of Fun: (The History of Quilling) The ornate rolls and scrolls of quillwork were most likely inspired by metal filigree, the art of shaping fine silver and gold wires into delicate, open designs. Handmade papers were far less costly that these precious metals but could be shaped in similar ways. Quilling therefore proved to be an aesthetically pleasing and economical alternative to the elaborate metal art is resembled. To emphasize this resemblance, some quillwork was even gilded.

Personal Note: I have had a couple more places ask to sell some of my cards. One place is a children’s boutique called, “Little Spruce.” I have made some little girls and boys cards that can go along with a gift for a newborn or even a toddler. It’s pretty exciting to take a craft that you do and tailor it to find a niche’ that someone can use in their place of business and add a creative flavor in the meantime. Thank you to them and I look forward to working with them again in the future. I have also picked up some new class times and locations for July, so check out my webpage to see more. Hope to see you there and if you are the first to sign up for a class you get a free Quilling Kit! Save your spot now!

NEW CLASSES AND OTHER TIDBITS

Hi Everyone!

Great news! I will have some new classes coming up through the summer at Impress Cards & Crafts. On July 8th from 11-1, I will be at the Tukwila location (120 Andover Park E, Tukwila, WA 98188 – 206.901.9101) and July 29th from 11-1, I will be at the University Location (2621 NE Village Lane Seattle, WA 98105 – 206.526.5818). Both these classes will be for Quilled Party/ Occasion Cards and you will make 3 cards to take home with you. Registration will be through the store that you take the class at, so please call them to register. There is still room in my class at Vintage Vino & Espresso on July 19th here in Maple Valley for Quilled Party/Occasion Cards also. Check out all my classeshere.

Emily’s Bites of Fun: “Quilling’s greatest attraction is that it is just plain fun. With a little patience, a few pieces of colored paper and some instruction, you’ll soon discover that this craft is as easy to learn and as close to fail-safe as a craft can get. A quilling mistake never costs more than a few minutes’ time to repair, and a quilling success is almost incredibly versatile: it can hang on a wall, decorate a box, embellish a gift card, be suspended from a window or doorway, or even deck a holiday wreath.” (Taken from “The Book of Paper Quilling” by Malinda Johnston)

Personal Note: I have quilled for many years so please do not feel intimidated by the photos you see of my work. Like Malinda says above, “a quilling mistake never costs more than a few minutes’ time to repair.” My family and I have been in California for the last 10 days and I have gotten even more inspiration from the beach colors and the different flowers that grow here. I can’t wait to let that inspiration take hold in some new designs. How about you? What is inspiring you these days?

HI Everyone!

I just want to send a shout-out to Janice S. who was the first to reserve her seat for my DIY Papercrafted Greeting Cards’ class on July 19th from 6-8:30 pm at Vintage Vino and Espresso in Maple Valley. Because Janice was the first to sign up she gets a free Quilling Kit! Way to go, Janice!

Emily’s Bites of Fun:
Unlike origami, papercraft involves cutting up paper or cardboard and gluing it back together, although some folding and bending may be involved. Very basic papercraft is often taught in schools, so that children can bring polygons to life in the form of polyhedra. Simple papercraft does not require extensive math skills, but it can be used to illustrate basic math, or to get people excited about mathematics. More advanced papercraft can call upon impressive math abilities, which is part of the fun for some crafters.

Personal Note: My friend, who is a teacher, has used paper polygons over the years to bring to life, in the form of polyhedra, ways of teaching math to his kids. They actually would build a town called Polyhedraville! The kids love doing it!

Sign up for my Next Class Now! DIY Papercrafted Greeting Cards, July 19 6-8:30 at Vintage Vino and Espresso in Maple Valley (next to Fred Meyer). Come learn how to use a die cut machine and quilling to create simple but amazing designs for any occasion. Take home up to 3 cards at the end of the class. Cost $30 total, $15 to reserve and hold a seat. Cost includes all supplies including a medium size hot/cold drink. Ages 12 and older are welcome to reserve a seat here.

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are enjoying some time to be creative this week. I know it seems like you don’t have the time to stop and be creative, but if you TAKE the time to slow down and do some of the things you love, you will find that it helps with how you look at life and how you enjoy the things around you.

What Does being creative really Mean?

Being creative means changing your perspective, taking risks and ignoring doubt and facing fears. It means breaking with routine and doing something different for the sake of doing something different. It means mapping out a thousand different routes to reach one destination. It means challenging yourself every day. Being creative means searching for inspiration in even the most mundane places. It means asking silly questions. It means creating without critiquing. Being creative means you know how to find the similarities and differences between two completely random ideas. Being creative means you’re thinking!

JOin a Class this Wednesday Night- A chance to branch out!

I read that Experts somewhere argue that getting into a state of flow can produce substantial happiness, the kind that lasts longer than the pleasure we get from eating a good cookie.

Let’s get creative together. Check out my classes and I can’t promise a cookie but when you come to Vintage Vino and Espresso on Wednesday, June 14th from 6-8:30 for my quilled wallhanging class (or for any class at Vintage), I promise a free hot or cold drink – which might be just as good if you get a yummy flavor! Save your seat now for tomorrow night HERE.